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Title: Large capacitance-voltage hysteresis loops in SiO{sub 2} films containing Ge nanocrystals produced by ion implantation and annealing

Journal Article · · Applied Physics Letters
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2175495· OSTI ID:20778638
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  1. Department of Physics and Quantum-Functional Semiconductor Research Center, Dongguk University, Seoul 100-715 (Korea, Republic of)

Metal-oxide-semiconductor structures containing Ge nanocrystals (NCs) of 3-4 nm diameter and 2x10{sup 12} cm{sup -2} density are shown to exhibit capacitance-voltage hysteresis of 20.9 V, one of the largest observed in Ge-NC based nonvolatile memories. The Ge NCs were fabricated in an oxide of 30 nm thickness by ion implantation with 30 keV Ge{sub 2}{sup -} ions to an equivalent fluence of 1x10{sup 16} Ge cm{sup -2} followed by annealing at 950 deg. C for 10 min. Secondary ion mass spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy demonstrate the existence of Ge NCs whose average distance from the SiO{sub 2}/Si interface is about 6.7 nm. It is shown that the memory effect is a likely consequence of charge trapping at Ge NCs and that it is enhanced by accurately controlling the distribution of Ge NCs with respect to the Si/SiO{sub 2} interface.

OSTI ID:
20778638
Journal Information:
Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 88, Issue 7; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.2175495; (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English